GlenDronach Original 12 Year

Lots of vanilla and herbal notes. Excellent scotch for the price point

Nose: Vanilla ice cream (partially melted) with chocolate cover fruits (raisins, sweet ripe raspberry, blueberries, cranberries), black currant marmalade, rich baking spices such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and fresh ground pepper, some sweet Hungarian paprika, sweet and sour autumnal orchard fruits (ripe apples and pears), fresh white peach note), chilli seasoning, sweet and sour wine must, oat cakes (biscuits) and granola bars, slight flora soapy note, candied lemon pith, slight orange marmalade and chocolate orange, sweet slightly smoky barrel char, vanilla yogurt with a dollop of fresh honey on top, fresh toffee followed by rich fudge, old and refined malt infused with deep sherry, fresh floral dew, slight oak spice Palate: Plenty of subtle baking spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper), slightly sweet oatmeal cakes/biscuits, sweet floral honey, plenty of sweet red apples, a hint of toasted tobacco, red apple skins, slight bittersweet barrel char, lemon pith, oranges studded with cloves, lemon starburst fruit chews with werthers original caramel chews, a slight hint of sea water mixing with barley sugar, medium dark cocoa Palate: Sweet and slightly smoky barley malt, tart apples, yellow apple skins, lemon peel, light white pepper, slight chilli flake note, sweet cherry tomatoes, tart apricot, light sherry wood notes, grape popsicle sticks, aged barley sugar, vanilla yogurt with honey

3.5 stars - Very good; two bottles If Macallan is a string quartet, this is a rock band playing their greatest hits. Dirty, grungy, aggressive and a great time. Even better if you have an opening act to warm up your palate. First bottle was a 5 star masterpiece; second was a solid 3 star. Freshman album was better than their sophomore effort. Expect some batch variation. Oxidation really opens this one up and reveals new flavors. Drink this over 12 months for the full experience.

Very nice pour. It has a lot of sherry sweetness, but not as much as Aberour and it’s not as syrupy. Nice vanilla notes and burnt caramel. Finishes with a lingering peppery spice.